Folding ironing board



Patented Mar. 29, i927.

UNITED STATES ALBERT E. TODD, F SEATTLE, WASHINGTON.

lFOLDING IRONING BOARD.

Application led September 8, 1924. Serial No. 736,437.

vMy invention relates to improvements in folding ironing boards and the object of my invention is to improve and simplify the construction of ironing boards and render the same more substantial in construction. more compact when folded and easier to fold and set up for use.

V Another object is to provide a folding ironing board having, toward the forward end. a brace or support slidably connected with the top board at its upper endv and arranojed to assume a substantially vertical position when the board is set up. the brace being connected at the bottom end with a len member that extends at an incline from the rear end of the board forwardly and downwardly to the floor, which brace or support is pivotally connected near its upper end with a folding brace or support that is pivotallvv connected near the lower end of the rear structure, said folding brace and slidable brace contributing to the production of a strong and supporting` structure that may be folded and unfolded verv quickly and easily and that is very compact when folded.

I accomplish these objects bv devices illustrate'd in the accompanyingdrawings, wherem Figure 1 is a view in side-elevation of an ironing board constructed in accordance with my invention showing'the same in the open position;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same show in g the leg' structures partly folded:

i Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the board as it may appear when it is set up for use; and

Fig. 4 is a sectional view ou line 1f- 4: ot Fis. 1.

Referringq to the drawings. through-out which like reference numerals indicate like parts, 5 designates au ironing board having at its rear end on ythe bottom side a transverse reinforcing strip rigidlv secured thereto to prevent warping aud having directly in front of the strip and adjacent the respective edges of the hoard two blocks G and 7 through which extends a transverse pivot member 8 whereou are mounted two divergent rear supporting legs 9. whose upper ends are disposed on the outer sides of the respective blocks (i and 7. The two rear supupper cross-brace 10 when the board is set n up for use. two pads 16 of resistant material. as rubber, beingT mounted between the blocks 6 and 7 and the cross brace 10 so as to be positioned between the lcross-brace 10 and blocks 6 and 7.

The numeral 17 is a front leg' member composed of two pieces that are secured together at their front or lower end, thence extend rearwardly and upwardly in .divergent relation and have their upper'euds positioned just inside the respective blocks 6 and 7 and are mounted for swinging movement on the pivot 8.

A cross-bar 18 between the two pieces of the front leg 17 toward the lower or convergent end thereof holds said two members apart and does not interfere with the other members of the leg" structure when folded.

An upright brace -or support formed of two members 20 and 21 that are spaced a short distance apart at their upper end and rigidly connected byja metal bracket 22, preferably a round rod having its ends bent at right angles and flattened and secured Vby screws 23 to the members 20 and 21. is provided for supporting' the forward end of the board 5. The lower ends of the members 20 andvQl are secured by a transverse pivot 24 to the front leg member 17 in such a position as to cause the brace formed by the members 20 and 21 to assume a substantially upright position when the board is set up for use.

The bracket 22 serves vas a support on which the board 5 may rest and is slidable on a guide rod 25 that extends lengthwise along); the bottom of the board 5 in slightly spaced relation therefrom. The front end of guide rod 25 is made fast to a cross-bar 26 that is secured to the board 5 and that serves the triple function of a mounting for guide rod 25(` a stop or support against which the bracket 22 may rest, and a reinforcing strip that strengthens the ironing board 5 and prevents the same from warping. The rear end of the guide rod 25 may be bent;A upwardly and flattened substantially as shown and secured to the ironing board.

The guide rod 25y together with the bracket Q2 provides the means for automatically positioning the structural parts to their proper positions when folding Yand unfolding the board and also prevents the board 5 from being. lifted away from the brace formedv by the members Q0 vand 21* when it is desired to `move the whole structure to av new position. Y

A folding brace member formed of two pieces 27 and 28 connected with each other by a hinge 29A is securedl at one end by a pivot 30 tothe upright support-ing` members 2O and 21v near the upper end and at the other end by a pivot 31 to the upright brace bars 1.4i' and`i 15 on the rear leg structure and is arranged. when in the open or set up positio'n to rest on a pin 32 that entends crosswise of the two convergent front members 17 between which it passes. the center of the hinge 29 being slightly below a straight line that passes through the pivot-"s 30 and 31 when extended so that said folding brace member will always tend to remain in the open position shown in Fig. 1`r except when it is forcibly displaced from that position in folding the supporting structure upwardly against the board.

When the ironing boardl is in an open position the folding brace spreads the supportinglegs 9 causing the cross-brace 10 to bear against" the pads 16 and blocks G and 7 and also spreads the upper end ofthe members 20 and 21 having the bracket Q2 thereon urging thelbraclet Q2 against the cross-bar 26 whereby the whole structure becomes rigid. The pads 16' beingprovidedv so that the cross-brace 10' will not be permanently depressed' andt will at all times cause a tight contact when the board is in an open position.

It' will be obvious Jfrom the foregoing that the pressure exerted' against the blocks 6 andl 7' will' have a tendency to cause the top of the bracl'ret Q2 to bear against the top of the board 5 and hol-d it there in fixed relation thereto.

Tn folding the board a pressure isexerted below the folding brace members Q7"iand 2S to cause the center of" the hinge 29 to pass upwardly beyond the line of centers through pivots 30 and 31 after which the brace members 27 and 28 are free to fold together flatly one on the other, drawing; the upper end of the members 20 and 21* rearwardlyi bracket 22 sliding on guide rod' 25 and making it possible to fold the front' and rear leg structures forwardly and upwardly against the board 5. Y

In the completely e fol-ded position the members 20, 21, 27 and 28 lie between the front leg members 17 and rear leg members 9 fold outside of` frontv leg'members' 117 thus making a very compact structure.

To open the ironing board for use the top is lifted andl the folding-brace 2.7 and 28 is pressed downwardly thereby causing the several parts of the structure to assume their proper positions.

The foregoing description and accompanying drawings clearly disclose a preferred embodiment of my invention but it will be understood that changes' in the details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit thereof.

What I claim is: Y

1. In a folding ironing table structure,V a board, a rear leg structure. pivoted thereon, a front leg pivoted to the rear ofQ said. board and extending forwardly and'F downwardly therefrom, a support pivoted1V to. the front leg and arranged to, stand substantially vertical for supportingl the forward end of the board. meansy slidably connecting` the upper end of' the support with the board` and a collapsible brace member-ione end of which is pivoted tothe upper end of' said support and the other' end ofE which is pivotedto the lower portion ot'said" rear' leg ofthe structure.

Q. ln a folding ironing table structure, a board. a rear leg structure pivotally connected with the rear end' of the board@ a front leg structure pivotedV to the rear end of theboard and arranged to extend forwardly and downwardly, asupport pivoted to the front leg structure and' arrangedv to stand snibstantially` vertical.t for supporting said board at a pointforward of the center means for sli'dably connecting the upper` end of said supportwitb said board'. and a tolding brace having a. hinge connectionV substantially midway between its two ends, the respective ends of said brace being pivoted to the upper end portion'of" said* support and the lower end portion of said rea-rleg structure. Y

3. In a folding ironing table structurer a board` a rear leg structure pivotally' connected with the rear end portion; of" the boardl` a front leg structure pi'votedi tothe rear end portion of said board-r and arrau .fred to extend forwardly and downwardly therefrom, a support pivoter? to the Jfront les structure and arranged" to stand substantially vertical for supporting said board' ata point forward of the centen a guide rod securedV to theV bottom of said board and extending lengthwise thereof. a bracltet secured to the upper end ofy said support and slidable along said guide rod and' affording a relatively wide bearing on which the saV board may rest, a folding brace formed of two parts of substantially equal length artioulately connected by a hinge and having its ends pivoted respectively to the upper end portion of said brace and the lower end portion of said rear leg structure, and stop means rigid with said front leg structure against which said folding brace may rest when extended.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe 10 my name this 30th day of August A. D., 1924.

ALBERT E. TODD. 

